Janel & Anthony with Mike Kuhl

"Janel and Anthony are an important step in the evolution of music.
They both exist on so many levels, each piece is like a
hundred doors opening up."
- JIMMY CHAMBERLIN (SMASHING PUMPKINS)

Independently, the musician-composers who make up JANEL & ANTHONY — that’s cellist and vocalist JANEL LEPPIN and guitarist ANTHONY PIROG — have led deeply fascinating creative lives.

JANEL LEPPIN has been a pillar of the Washington D.C. music scene as an acclaimed cellist for over twenty years. She composes at the helm of her widely celebrated Ensemble Volcanic Ash, recorded a solo cello album The Brink in 2023 and released riveting singer-songwriter records as Mellow Diamond. As a collaborator and multi-instrumentalist, she has contributed to an impossibly wide swath of internationally-known experimental and indie sounds, from the inquisitive new-music of Eyvind Kang and Oren Ambarchi to the haunting folksong of Marissa Nadler, to the dynamic psych-rock of Rose Windows and art-punk of PRIESTS.

One of the finest guitarists of his generation, ANTHONY PIROG is a member of Impulse! and Dischord recording artists the Messthetics, featuring the rhythm section of post-hardcore legends Fugazi. He is known for his unique blend of jazz, rock, and electronic soundscapes, as well as being an acclaimed jazz and avant-garde improviser and an important torch-carrier for the legacy of D.C. guitar god Danny Gatton. He leads his own trio and sextet, and performs as a solo musician.

Together, however, these partners in life and music have reached rare heights of sonic invention and personal expression — creating original music with a clairvoyance that their other projects cannot approach. It’s an intimacy that goes back decades, to when they first encountered each other in high school, as “grunge-kid musicians,” per Anthony. The relationship deepened through their college years and into their careers as full-time professionals on the richly diverse D.C. scene.

“When we write,” Janel says, “we’re pretty telepathic at this point, as many years as we’ve been playing and improvising together.” Adds Anthony, “We are on the same mission, 100% of the time, in all aspects of life.”

Drummer, recording artist and educator, MIKE KUHL hails from the musically diverse city of Baltimore MD. Kuhl’s open mindedness to all genres has made him a first call drummer for any musical environment.

A graduate from Towson University and the University of Maryland, Kuhl has performed throughout the globe alongside jazz greats like Dave Liebman, Tony Malaby, Michael Formaneck, Dave Ballou, Tim Berne, Jason Rigby, Mark Guiliana, Ellery Eskelin and Claudio Roditi. Outside of jazz, Kuhl has shared the stage with many international acts such as Beach House, Arboretum, Cigarettes After Sex, Tom Tom Club, and The Ravonnettes. As a leader, Kuhl performs domestically and internationally with his various groups.

Alongside his musical career, Mike is an accomplished Ba Gua martial artist. He believes the grace and power of the body movements of Kung fu go hand in hand with his style of drumming. Kuhl is currently an adjunct faculty member at Towson University teaching drum set lessons and coaching various ensembles.

On The Web:

• Janel Leppin Official Website
• Janel Leppin on Facebook
• Anthony Pirog Official Website
• Anthony Pirog on Facebook

Music To Check Out:

• Janel & Anthony - New Moon In The Evil Age on Bandcamp
• Janel & Anthony - Where Is Home on Bandcamp
• Janel Leppin on Bandcamp
• Anthony Pirog on Bandcamp

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